Recipes
Side
Vegan Mock Chopped Liver (WFPB)

Vegan Mock Chopped Liver (WFPB)

by Nava Atlas

A dark blue plate featuring several pieces of matzah, a butter knife, and a small dark blue bowl of a light brown paste. Surrounded by a blue napkin and bunch of parsley on a white wood table.

What am I, chopped liver? Fortunately, no. Made of onions, mushrooms, and cashews, vegan mock chopped liver has replaced the classic Jewish pâté as a contemporary appetizer for special occasions. This plant-based look-alike (though not taste-alike) is often served as a Passover appetizer with matzo or matzo crackers. You can serve it with raw vegetables, too. A sister recipe: A similar, now-classic recipe is made with green beans or peas. In the Ashkenazi tradition, green beans and peas aren’t allowed foods during the Passover week. But if it’s not Passover, or you don’t strictly adhere to the chametz rules, feel free to replace the mushrooms with an equivalent amount of steamed fresh or frozen green beans. Of course, you need not wait for a holiday, or to be Jewish, to make this delicious spread. It’s welcome all year round. This recipe makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 + ½ cups)
6 to 8 ounces mushrooms, white or cremini (aka baby Bella) mushrooms
¾ cup toasted cashews
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For garnish
Paprika
Finely minced fresh parsley

Instructions

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Sauté the onions slowly over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until lightly browned.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms, then clean and chop. Add to the skillet, cover, and cook briefly with the onions until wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Combine the onion and mushroom mixture (including any liquid that may have formed) to a food processor along with the cashews and lemon juice. Process until smoothly pureed, scraping down the sides as needed. Season with salt and pepper and additional lemon juice if desired, and pulse on and off to work into the mixture.
Transfer to a serving bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. If making ahead of time, cover and store in the refrigerator until needed, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Just before serving, sprinkle the top with paprika and parsley. Serve with matzah, matzah crackers (for Passover), fresh bread or crackers, and/or raw vegetables.